Nightmare
by RikkuMcClowFox
Summary: Short, sweet, MaxXMonica story. When Monica has a nightmare, Max is there to comfort her. Warning: Out of Character!


**Nightmares**

**A/N: Okay! This is my first DarkCloud piece. Yes, I know that this is not how Monica's dad died. It's just a nightmare of the version of how he died. I hate how everyone is out of character. I couldn't see an independent Monica soemhow doing this. Sorry...**

**On with the story. **

Monica's P.O.V

_Huff… Huff… Huff… My breathing came in short small gasps that were about three seconds apart. The pounding of my heart against my silk purple outfit seemed to quicken as I accelerated. My maroon eyes scanned the hall for any monsters. None where to be seen; that was a good sign right? That meant father was okay. _

_Everything seemed to be spinning. The empty armor knights standing watch in the hall seemed to tense at in that horrific night. The hallway from my room to father's seemed to lengthen as I covered more ground._

_To the untrained eye, it seemed to be a regular stormy night at the palace. All the servants, knights, and workers were all asleep in their comfy beds, unaware of the events taking place. The spiraling red carpets, the suits of armor, golden doors, white marble staircases… yep, it was a pretty ordinary night for anyone… except me and my father._

_My father and I had a special bond between us. We seemed to know what one another felt, even if we were miles apart. When father accidentally stabbed his finger on a needle, I felt it. When I fell down the stairs, my father instantly came running. That was how it was with us._

_Know… I don't know what he felt. The bond between us seemed to be unraveling itself as the seconds ticked by. The bond that had kept us together for years was soon going to be completely gone in a matter of seconds. The last emotion I felt from him was pain._

_That's how I woke up. I was ever thankful for that connection. Searing pain had coursed through my body, making me scream and fall to the floor of my bed, clasping my chest. As soon as I had felt that, my body had sprang from the floor and dashed out into the hall._

_Suddenly, I stumbled down onto the polished wood floor; the same pain, only greater this time, erupted through my body. I let out a cry of pain and continued until the pain dulled._

"Monica!" I heard a somewhat strange, yet familiar voice call. _The voice seemed far away… like it was trying to communicate with me from some other dimension. _

_Shaking my head to rid the voice, I focused on father. _

_A flash of lightning lit up the hall and allowed my to get a good view… if only for a second._

_Struggling to remain on my two feet, I noticed that I was only feet from father's room. With a new hope that drove me on, I sprinted to the door and threw the dark wooden doors back._

_Letting out a small gasp, my legs gave out beneath me as I sunk to the floor. _

_On the dark oak floors of father's room was his now lifeless body, resting in a pool of his own blood._

_Thunder sliced through the sky as lightning rained down from the sky. _

"Monica!" screamed the voice again.

_The father that I had loved and cared for… more then anything else! was now lying on the ground… dead. His dark red eyes shut from the light forever. His face was expression of pure horror. A bloody sword was pierced through his chest; ultimately_ _killing him._

"Monica!" cried the voice for the third time. I_ ignored the voice. Nothing else mattered now that father was dead._

_Tears sprang to my eyes. I made no attempt to wipe them off before the dosed my light gold and purple shirt. My red hair draped across my shoulder as I sobbed uncontrollably in my hands._

"Monica!" the voice cut through my sadness and into my memory. _Where had I heard that voice before? It was obviously a male… but… Oh! What am I doing? Thinking about a stupid voice right after I lost my father._

_Suddenly, the shadows produced from the dressers and bed leaped into the air and began to take on a human form._

"Monica!!!" screamed the male voice, more urgently this time.

_My mind and instincts suddenly froze up. The tears stopped flowing, blood stopped oozing from father… it was like the whole world was frozen as the shadows formed together._

_Shadow after shadow came, and soon they took on the form of a man. The shadow man was dawned in a red royalty outfit, with many silver latches and clips. His dark gray hair covered his eyes._

"Monica!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

_It was like in that moment my senses suddenly came back to me as the voice came through to my mind._

"_Gaspard!!!" I cried in recognition._

_As soon as the words left my mouth, Gaspard suddenly grabbed my by the wrist, forcing me to stand up. I cried in pain as he tightened his grip on my wrist, twisting it backward. New tears rolled down my already tearstained cheeks as I heard something pop. I saw blood bleach my light gold sleeve as I looked to my wrist_.

_When he was satisfied that I had suffered enough, he stopped twisting my wrist. A sly grin suddenly played across his lips as he brought me closer to him; still a tight grip on my broken wrist._

"Monica!!!!!!!!!!!!"

_Fear gripped my body as he drew his lips towards mine. I let out a scream of horror and tried to battle him off with my free hand. Gaspard just grabbed my other hand and brought his lips closer. I pulled my head as far back as it would go; trying fruitlessly to turn away from his lips._

"Monica!!!!!!!!"

_They were so close that I could feel his breath coming on my tender lips. He smelt of my father's blood._

_"Why are you doing this?' I cried in terror, hoping to distract him._

_Gaspard had a sly look play across his face as he drew his head in closer. His words were spoken on my neck, which made my shiver as his lips danced around my collar bone before returning to my face, staring at my lips with lust filled eyes. "To be king… I need to marry the Princess." With that he brought me in to meet his lips as I let out a scream of protest._

"MONICA!!! IT'S ME MAX!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!"

My head shot up as I awoke from my nightmare, body tense. Tears streamed down my face as my eyes tried to adjust to the darkness. Maroon hair clutched to my forehead. My whole body was covered in a cold sweat. My mind was in a foggy haze.

Where was I? Why was it so dark? Wasn't Gaspard about to kiss me? What--?

"It's alright…" came a soothing voice.

Finally, my eyes began to adjust to the darkness of Rainbow Butterfly Woods. It all began to come back to me. It was all a nightmare. Max and I were battling monsters when it began to get dark so we set up camp. Gaspard hadn't tried to kiss me.

I let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, I noticed that a warm hand was supporting my back. My maroon eyes slowly looked to my left, dreading what I would see, when they found a pair of green ones.

Max…

My body immediately relaxed all of its tension as I gazed into his green eyes. For moments we just stared into each other's eyes. Lost for words… Well, at least I was. His eyes were so… hypnotizing. They seemed to have a far off twinkle in his jade gaze.

_I wish he had been the one kissing me in my nightmare. Then the nightmare would've been a fantasy._

I lightly shook my head and reluctantly tore away from his gaze. Where did that come from? Well, the thought was true. Max would have been better then Gaspard any day.

"You okay?" Max asked, removing his hand from my back. I almost wanted to cry at the lost of his warm touch.

Putting on a fake smile, "Sure! Just a nightmare…" I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them for comfort.

My blonde-haired crush leaned his left hand on the ground and leaned the other on his right knee, bending his left knee towards his right ankle. "You sure? It didn't sound like just a nightmare. You were screaming and crying… I was really worried about you."

I thanked whoever was watching for the darkness that hid my blush. I suddenly became fascinated with my red and blue shoes. Remembering that Max made them for me deepened my blush. I stuttered, "W-Well…"

Max stared at my intently. "You don't have to talk about if you don't want to."

I shook my head. I wanted him to stay with me. The only way to do that was to tell him about my nightmare… minus the kiss. Somehow, I don't think that would go over well with him. I shivered as I remembered the kiss.

Max must have took the shiver as a sign that I was cold, for he suddenly got up and walked over to the unlit fire. Most of the firewood was burned up though, so we had to make do with a few twigs.

Once he had gathered up the remaining wood he turned to me and smiled. That smile… Oh! I just melted into pudding there and then. Those gorgeous white teeth. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I almost didn't hear what he said.

"Hey, Monica? Do you think you could use one of your fire spells to get this thing started?" my crush said.

I nodded my head. Grabbing my Bandit Brassard that lay near my thin piece of canvas that served as a bed, I shot a fireball at the twigs. They immediately burst into flames.

Max looked towards the fire and then flashed me a smile, his white teeth illuminated in the orange light. I found myself smiling back. It was hard not to. He was just so… handsome and cute and funny and perfect and…

The list could've gone on and on, but I stopped it in my mind when I noticed that he was settling in a sitting position beside me. I almost wanted to scream 'YES'! but I held back.

It was weird. Ever since I turned sixteen, my father had been trying to court me off to someone of royalty… that was a complete idiot. And yet, here I was; unmarried at seventeen and falling head-over-heels for a boy not from my time and not of royalty.

Curse time travel. Eventually I would have to go back to my own time and leave Max. He would probably earn the affection of another girl and then they would get married and have kids and grow old together… while I stayed unmarried and alone; my heart still wishing for another.

"Hey. You okay?"

I didn't notice that I had started crying over my thoughts. Max's green gaze seemed to pierce right through my thoughts and me. I suddenly remembered that he had asked me a question. I slowly nodded, blushing at my stupidity.

I didn't even know if that was true. I should really stop getting ahead of myself. I should really stop talking to myself, too. But I don't.

"So… do you wanna talk about your nightmare?" Max asked slowly, choosing his words wisely.

I blushed like mad as he flashed me a nervous grin. "Sure. Well, if you want to," I said, fixing my many ponytails that I had messed up from my sleep.

Max nodded his head and grinned. "I'll listen."

I couldn't help but smile as I looked at his goofy, and yet hot, grin. Soon, I found myself spilling out all of the events of my nightmare… minus the kiss. Max listened intently, never laughing or looking bored, just focusing on me.

When I was finished, new tears coursed down my cheeks. I couldn't help it! Thinking of my father and him dying was too much. And I hadn't even told him about Gaspard.

All of a sudden, I felt myself being pulled into a warm embrace. Max… I immediately thought as his arm wrapped around my shoulder and the other supported him into his sitting position. I found it comforting to be in his arms. Sure, he smelled of oil and mechanics but I liked it. It was unlike anything at the palace.

I snaked my arms around his neck as the distance between us disappeared. My head rested on his blue overalls, taking in his scent and enjoying the moment. Tears trickled down my face, but in smaller portions and I wasn't sobbing.

My heart was pounding against my chest that I was sure he could hear it. My stomach seemed to do flip-flops as I became tongue-tied. I found it comforting just to be near him.

I almost leaped into the air with joy as I felt his other find its way around my waist, bringing us even closer. I don't know how long we stayed like that, just sitting in an embrace. It felt like a long happy eternity to me, but really it was only ten minutes.

Suddenly, Max released his hold on me and whispered in my ear. "I'll let you get some sleep now." I almost broke down into tears again just to make him come back. The lose of his warm hands around me and his scent enveloping me made me feel cold and exposed.

"Wait!" I cried.

Max turned around and gave me a questioning look with his green gaze.

I nervously fiddled with my black shorts, not knowing what to say. I bit my bottom lip as he wheeled around and continued to his piece of canvas across from the fire.

_The nightmare you idiot! Tell him you're still scared because of the nightmare!_

Thanking the little voice inside of me, I stood up and darted towards his side. I caught him with a hug from behind while he was sitting down.

"Wh-? Monica?" my crush questioned in a disbelieve tone.

I'll admit that it had to seem pretty strange. Me hugging him from behind and all… but I had to get his attention somehow. As of now, I was just winging it.

I pulled away from him and fiddled with my purple shirt, nervous of his gaze. "Umm…. I'm still kinda scared of the nightmare… so…."

Oh, man! How could I ask to sleep with him when I didn't want to **sleep **with him? Where was that little voice when I needed it! I must have looked pretty nervous, because he just gave a laugh.

His laugh made me melt from pudding to creamed soup. It was so pure. So happy! No one had that kind of laugh back in my time.

"It's okay. You can sleep with me for tonight," he said, still laughing.

I let out the breath I had been holding and playfully punched his arm.

"What was that for?" Max asked still laughing.

Somewhere along the way, I had started laughing. "For laughing at me!!" I exclaimed, trying to turn serious in between the giggles.

After our little laughing fight, I cuddled up next to a 'seemingly' sleeping Max. I put one arm on his chest and the other around his neck as I looked to the stars. I silently thanked them for the nightmare. After all… it brought Max and me closer.

Cuddling my head on his chest, I soon fell asleep.

Max's P.O.V. 

I slyly opened one eye to find Monica sleeping soundly next to me. Dang, she was so beautiful! Her maroon hair flipped into her closed eyes so perfectly that I almost kissed her on the lips right then and there. But… I resisted.

I didn't know if she felt the same way, or if she liked some other guy from her time. She would have to return to her time. Probably charm a guy, start a family, have kids, grow old together, and leave me here pinning fro her.

I let out a soft sigh as I told myself 'You don't know if that could happen.'

She was just so perfect! Everything about her! Her hair, her clothes, her eyes, her swords, her voice, her fighting skills…. The list goes on and on.

Sighing again, I decided to just enjoy the moment. Snaking my arm around her waist, I brought her closer to me. Lightly pushing away a strand of stray hair, I kissed her forehead lovingly.

Before I closed my eyes and falling into a wonderful sleep, I whispered, "Sweet Dreams, Monica."

**A/N: Told ya they were out of character! Anyways, read and review. **


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